A Place Close to Home: Ann Beaver
Americus, GA | September 10, 2026 – When Ann Beaver’s hip suddenly broke in the summer of 2023, cancer was the last thing on her mind.
For months, she had been treated for what doctors believed was bursitis. Then one July morning, as she carried some items to her car, her weakened hip suddenly gave way. Unable to reach her phone, she waited in her garage until someone realized she hadn’t arrived where she was expected.
At Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, X-rays revealed more than a broken hip.
“The doctor asked, ‘Have you ever heard of multiple myeloma?'” Ann recalled. She hadn’t. The blood cancer had weakened her hip bone enough to cause what doctors call a pathological fracture.
After surgery, Ann’s care shifted from repairing her broken hip to treating the cancer that had caused it. Working with oncologist Dr. Tongol, she began treatment that included radiation at Phoebe in Albany, chemotherapy through Phoebe Sumter, and later a stem cell transplant at Emory.
Living just four miles from Phoebe Sumter meant Ann could receive nearly all of her treatment close to home while her physicians coordinated with specialists at Emory.
“I felt completely confident in every bit of the care that I got,” she said. “They were in contact with each other about what was happening with me. I just felt like I had the best of both worlds.”
Recovering from a broken hip, she appreciated being able to drive just four miles for weekly treatments instead of making frequent trips to Atlanta.
At the oncology clinic, it was often the simple gestures that meant the most. Warm blankets, a snack, and genuine kindness became part of every visit.
“As women, how often do we have someone taking care of us?” she said. “You go to the clinic, and it’s full of people who just shower you with care and compassion and concern.”
The support extended beyond the cancer center. Looking back through the paper calendar she has kept for years, Ann found page after page filled with the names of friends who brought meals, drove her to appointments, and simply showed up when she needed them most.
“I would never say it’s worth it to get cancer,” she said. “But I am grateful that I’ve been able to feel that compassion and care because it enables me to feel more compassion for other people.”
After undergoing a stem cell transplant at Emory in January 2024, Ann returned home to continue her recovery under Dr. Tongol’s care. By the spring, she learned she was in remission. Today she continues maintenance treatments every six weeks to strengthen her immune system and protect her bones.
Ann hopes her experience encourages others not to live in fear.
“Know that if you have to face cancer, we have some very effective solutions right here,” she said.
This year, as Ann lights the Phoebe Sumter Lights of Love tree, she celebrates remission, the compassion she experienced from caregivers and friends, and the comfort of knowing that exceptional cancer care is available close to home.
Please join us for Lights of Love Tree Lightening Ceremony at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center on Thursday, December 10 at 6 p.m.